Gujarat Assembly polls 2022 | For families of fishermen languishing in Pakistani jails, getting their kin back only poll issue

According to the data provided by the state government in the Gujarat assembly this year in March, around 519 fishermen from the state are languishing in Pakistani jails.

"We are neither interested in allowances nor any poll promises; I want our son back. I haven't seen him for the last two years," said 56-year-old Ankita Thapariya, the mother of fisherman Ankit who has been languishing in a Pakistani jail for illegally entering the neighbouring country's water territory.

The situation is no different for the families of 655 fishermen from the coastal region of Gujarat, especially from Saurashtra, Porbandar, Veral, Dwarka and Magrol, as their loved ones have been languishing in Pakistani jails for the last several years.

Assembly elections in Gujarat will be held in two phases - on December 1 and 5.

The family members of the fishermen lodged in Pakistani jails say they would vote for those parties in the upcoming elections which assure to bring their relatives back from the neighbouring country.

"Elections come and go, political parties promise to bring back our children, but nothing moves forward. We often don't even know whether they are alive or dead. My grandson was the only earning member, and now he is in a Pakistani jail for three years. We will vote for those who assure the safe return of my grandson," 72-year-old Govindbhai from Mangrol, whose grandson was caught by Pakistan two years back, told PTI over the phone.

Echoing him, Lilaben, whose husband has been in a Pakistani jail for the last three years and was caught near the Dwarka coastline area, feels that the allowance by the state government of only ₹300 to family members of fishermen caught first time is a pittance.

"My husband used to earn around ₹30,000 every month. Now we get around ₹9,000 as allowance per month. We are a family of six. To run my family, I have to work as a maid in far-flung areas. The condition is worse for those families whose members have been caught for the second time, as they are not eligible for the allowance," she said.